The invention describes novel methods for treating and preventing cognitive impairments caused by traumatic brain injuries by administering a therapeutically effective amount of at least one of the cholinesterase inhibitor compounds described herein. A preferred cholinesterase inhibitor for use in the methods of the invention is donepezil hydrochloride or ARICEPT(copyright).
Novel cholinesterase inhibitors are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,841 and WO 98/39000, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. The cholinesterase inhibitors described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,841 include donepezil hydrochloride or ARICEPT(copyright), which has proven to be a highly successful drug for the treatment of Alzheimer""s disease.
There is a need in the art for new and improved treatments for other diseases, disorders, and syndromes that are characterized by symptoms of dementia and/or cognitive impairments. The invention is directed to these, as well as other, important ends.
The invention describes novel methods for treating and preventing cognitive impairments caused by traumatic brain injuries (e.g., post head trauma) by administering to a patient a therapeutically effective amount of at least one of the cholinesterase inhibitor compounds described herein.
The present invention is described in more detail below.